The present invention relates generally to interlocking puzzles and, more particularly, to an interlocking puzzle that can be sectioned for easier solution according to a backside pattern.
Interlocking puzzles are known by people of all age groups and nationalities. Generally, parents teach small children to fit one piece puzzles together by shape, color and size and then gradually increase the complexities of the puzzles to suit the age and development of the child. In turn many adults enjoy building puzzles to challenge their minds, pass time and for other reasons.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,422,642 to Fletcher describes an educational puzzle that depicts mathematical problems and solutions on the final two dimensional front face design. Fletcher teaches color coding the columns of the front face of the puzzle to assist in solving the puzzle. However, color coding the front restricts the types and designs that can be placed on the front face design.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,439,221 to Harvie teaches an interlocking puzzle where many of the pieces include the very similar three dimensional size and shapes. Therefore, many of the pieces are interchangeable. This puzzle can be solved a countless number of ways. Alternatively, it can only be solved by fitting the picture together with no regard for the dimensions of the tabs and recesses of the interlocking pieces.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,743,741 to Fife discloses a math jigsaw puzzle that posts various two dimensional mathematical expressions on its final front face design.
U.S. Pat. 5,957,454 to Libeskind shows a jigsaw puzzle that is more complex to solve than jigsaw puzzles of the prior art because each puzzle piece has four edges that are directly in contact with only one edge from a single other puzzle piece. Therefore, most of the pieces appear similarly shaped.
Each of the above puzzles either shows a method of teaching the end user problems and solutions as created by the design on the puzzle front face or shows a jigsaw puzzle that is very complex to solve because most of the pieces appear similarly shaped with many other pieces. Therefore, each of the above puzzles is designed for one end user for educational or challenging purposes. Further, each of the above identified puzzles must be solved using one continuous table or surface.
It is an object of the present invention to improve the art of interlocking puzzles.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a means for solution that are not available in the prior art.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide puzzles that can be solved using group participation.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an interlocking puzzle in which persons having differing levels of puzzle skill, including small children, can contribute toward the final solution.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a puzzle that can be solved using a number of smaller tables or surfaces.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an interlocking puzzle that can be simultaneously solved by a number of persons working independently.
It is still yet another object of the present invention to provide a method and means of realistically solving a puzzle that can be wall sized.
It is still yet a further object of the present invention to provide a means for assisting in the solution of a particularly complex portion of a puzzle.
These and other objects are provided in accordance with the present invention in which there is provided an interlocking puzzle that has a two dimensional design on its front surface when each of the interlocking puzzle pieces is properly joined together. The backside of the puzzle is visually broken into a plurality of sections. Each piece that belongs to a particular section includes a backside marking pattern that correlates that piece with that particular section. Transitional pieces that would correlate with two or more sections can include marking patterns from each of the two or more sections or can include markings from just one particular section.